Steven Gerrard Hoping for Liverpool Favour to Help Keep Ryan Kent

Liverpool wing prospect Ryan Kent is now 22 and heading into what many expect will be a decisive summer. A long-term future at Anfield appears unlikely and the question now is whether a new permanent home can be found for him.

Alternately, if a buyer willing to pay what Liverpool consider a fair price can’t be found, after an impressive season with Rangers in the Scottish Premiership he could be loaned out again, but this time to an English Premier League side.

What doesn’t seem likely is a return to Rangers. It’s unlikely the Scottish club would be able to match Liverpool’s asking price, and another year there on loan probably wouldn’t help to boost his value. His manager, though, still has hope.

“I don’t know what Liverpool value Ryan at,” said Rangers boss and former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard. “I don’t even know if Liverpool want to sell him or not. The only question I can answer, do I want him back? Yes, more than anyone.”

Kent has made 39 appearances in all competitions for Gerrard’s Rangers, scoring six goals and nine assists. Most of those have come in the league, where he has a goal involvement every 148 minutes for a Rangers side locked in to second.

It’s been a solid season, but not such a standout one that he will return to Liverpool as a potential difference-maker for the title challenging side Jürgen Klopp has built. Meanwhile, Kent already seems on the verge of too good for Scotland.

There have also been rumblings that should Leeds United earn promotion this season, Kent is amongst their top targets—along with another loaned-out Liverpool youngster in Harry Wilson and veteran James Milner, whose contract is expiring.

Still, one never knows how things will develop once the season ends and the transfer window opens, so while it’s unlikely Kent returns to Rangers, it isn’t out of the question—and it’s clear that’s how things would go in Gerrard’s ideal scenario.